Car coupler



J'. REIF CAR COUPLER Nov. 16 1926. A l606,896

Fi led May 1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. A16, 1926.

J. REIF CAR coUPLER 2 sheets-snee*h 2 Filed May l, 1922 www Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE'.

JOSEPH REIF, OF HEBRON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR F FORTY-FIVE PER CENT TO FRANCIS E. LING, OF HEBRON, INDIANA.

CAR COUPLER.

Application filed May 1,

This invention relates to draft appliances hutmore particularly to couplers such as are used to connect railway cars and has for its primary object to provide a coupler construction which simple, durable and effective.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a coupler construction in which the release of either coupler automatically causes both to assume the open position as they are moved apart, to provide a coupler which will readily engage when the draw bars are angularly disposed, to eliminate draft strains on pins or other camparatively frail parts. and in general to provide a new and improved coupler.

The many other objects and advantages will be better understood by reference to the following specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating selected embodiments thereof. in which Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the couplers open and disengaged.

Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 except that the couplers are partially engaged.

Fig. 3 is the samc as Fig. 1 except that the parts are fully engaged and locked.

Fig. 4i is an end elevation of the coupler with the parts in open or unlocked position.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the coupler shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the latch.

Fig. 7 is a central vertical section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 9, showing a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line v8 8 of Fig. 7 but with the parts in ciosed or locked position, and

Fig. 9 is a plan view ofthe modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 3 show two draw heads A but as these are identical in construction, only one will he described in detail for this description will apply to both. The draw head A is preferably formed of a casting on the outer end of the draw bar B attached to the car in the usual manner. Forwardly extending sides 16 and 17 on the draw head form the socket 18 to admit the corresponding arm 16 of the opposite draw head. A knuckle 19 is pivotally mounted on the vertically disposed pin 20 in the side 16 and the rounded outer end 22 of this side substantially fits in the 1922. Serial No. 557,500.

correspondingly rounded socket in. thc knuckle. The tail 23 of the knuckle rests iu the socket 24 in this side when the knuckle is in the closed or locked position (Fig. 3). The shoulder 25 on theI knuckle acts against the opposing shoulder 26 on the side 16 in this position to resist the pull of the opposite draw bar. rlhis is particularly advantageous as it removes all draft strain from the pin 20..

A spring-pressed plunger Q7 in the unlocked position of the coupler projects forwardly into the socket or space 18 and its rear portion extends into the socket 2S in the vdraw bar. The outer portion of this socket 28 is conical in shape to permita limited angular movement of the plunger. A spring 29 acts against the annular shoulder 3() in this socket 28 to press the plunger forwardly or outwardly into the position indicated in Fig. 1. A head 31 is formed ou the outer end of this plunger to contact with the knuckle 19 on the opposing draw bar as the couplers are vmoving into engagement. This head 31 is connected to the end of the tail of the knuckle 19 by the pin 32 projecting through the elongated slot 33 inthe head. This form of connection between the head 31 and the knuckle 19 causes a swinging or angular movement of the plunger as the plunger is advanced or retracted, due to the arcuate movement of the pin A latch 34 (Fig. 6) projects downwardly iu the vert-ical slot in the side 17 ot the Vhead A and is pivotally mounted therein on the .pin 36 extending through the perforation 87 in the latch. The lower portion 38 of this latch projects into the channel or groove 39 extending rearwardly `in the inner face ofthe side 17 of the head A. A recess l0 is formedon the inner face of the portion 38 of the vlatch and the lateral extension i1 of 'the plunger head 31 rests in this recess when the plunger in its forward or extended position (Fig. 1). When' the plunger moves rearwardly in the manner which will be presently described, this extension 4.1 gradually moves out of the recess (Fig. Q) until in its rearward position (Fig. 3) it rests against the 'shoulder 42 on the latch.

This shoulder prevents the rotation of thev knuckle 19 so long as the plunger is in .its rearward position.

The lat-ch 34 is normally held in the position indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings by 2 Lcoaeec the spring 43. A releasing vbar (not shown) or other suitable operating means is connected in the usual manner to the latch 34 at 44 to permit the rear portion thereof to be lifted and to rotate the latch in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 5) on the pin 36.V This rotation causes the shoulder 42 to be moved rearwardly and to disengage the extension 4lon the plunger, permitting the plunger to swing horizontally into the recess 40 and the knuckle tobe released. The opposite draw head may now be withdrawn as the knuckle is free to rotate. The withdrawal of the opposite draw vhead permits the pltuiger to extend and the knuckle moves to its open position. The withdrawal of the released knuckle from the opposite draw head permits theplunger in this draw head to extend and to move the knuckle connected thereto into open position (Fig. l). As soon as the knuckle of the opposite draw head is released andmoves out of the recess it; the plunger headil moves outwardly until it clears `the shoulder 42 and then is permitted to move laterally into the recess 40. This outward and lateral movement of the plunger causes the knuckle 19 to be rotated on its pivot into open position as indicated in Fig. l. It is readily evident that the unlocking of either coupler automatically unlocks the opposite coupler so that both couplers always are in their open or unlocked position when disengaged. The couplers automaticallyengage and lock when brought together. i

. One of the particularly advantageous features of the present invention is the wide mouth which is provided. This enables the couplers to readily engage even though the draw bars are angularly disposed as is often the case when theV carsA are upon a curved track or upon different grades.

VllVhen lthe couplers are moved to engagement the rounded outer end of each knuckle 19 strikes the face of the plunger on the opposite drawhead and forces the plunger rearwardly. The rearward movement of each plunger causes the knuckle attached thereto to be rotated about its pivotal connection into interlocking engagement with the knuckle on the opposite drawhead. Fig. 1 shows the position ofthe parts just before the drawheads come into engagement. Fig. 2 shows the position of the parts when the interlocking is partially completed. In this position it should be noted that the eXtension 4l on the plunger head 3l is just riding ont of the recess 40 of the latch. The continued rearward movement` of this extension causes the lower portion of the latch to swing rearwardly or in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 5) until the knuckle has drawn the plunger inwardly suciently to withdraw the extension 4l from the recess 40 and permit the lower portion of the latch to be forced forwardly by the spring 48, bringing the shoulder 42 opposite the end of the extension in locked position (Fig. 3). rThe extension then prevents the rotation of the knuckle and the pull of the draw bars is taken up by the shoulders 25 and 26 in the manner described.

A modilied form of the invention is shown in Figs. i" to 9 in which the spring-pressed plunger 50 moves rearwardly in substantially a straight line instead of in a curved path. A latch or pin 51 drops between the plunger and the end of the tail 52-of the knuckle 53 when the plunger has reached its rearmost position (Fig. 8) to prevent the rotation of the knuckle. 4The knuckle in this form of coupler is notV connected to the plunger but is rotated by theflange 54 on the plunger acting through the lower portion of the latch during the rearward movement of the plunger. The latch is connected to the draw head by a pin 55 passing through the elongated slot 56 in the latch. This form of Vconnection permits a swinging movement of the latch during the rearward travel of the plunger and a longitudinal sliding movenient at the completion of such travel. TheV latch is raised by suitable operating means torelease the coupler. This form 4ofcoupler automatically opens in the same manner` as the previous embodiment.

I am aware that many changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and T reserve the right to make all such as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims. Y y

I claim as my invention:V

l. A'car coupler comprising a draw head, a knuckle revoluble in said head, aplunger connected to said knuckle so as to control the movement thereof and a latch adapted to engage a part of said plunger so as to prevent uncoupling movement thereof whereby said plunger holds said knuckle against turning. i

2. A ear coupler comprising a draw head, a knuckle revolubly mounted in said head, a spring-pressed plunger pivotally7 connected to said knuckle, and arlatch engaging said plunger to cause said plunger to prevent the rotatidii of said knuckle when said plunger is held in its retracted position by-an opposing coupler.

JOSEPH REIF. 

